Festival des Jardins Alpestres

The Festival des Jardins Alpestres: a plant laboratory in the heart of Tarentaise

Since its creation in 2018, the Festival des Jardins Alpestres has established itself as a flagship event in the cultural and environmental life of Albertville. Born from the municipality's desire to showcase the Alpine plant landscape in all its forms, between nature and culture, this original festival annually features a competition for the creation of ephemeral gardens on the gardens esplanade, right in the city center.

The gardens, created by teams of professional landscapers, landscape design students, and artists, are designed around a different theme for each edition. They remain visible and freely accessible to the public throughout the summer, from late May to late September, offering visitors a surprising and inspiring plant journey at the foot of the mountains.

Themes that foster dialogue between humans and nature

Each edition of the festival explores a facet of the relationship between humans and plants. The themes of previous editions reflect this richness: in 2024, the 6th edition, titled “The Tree and the Feather: The Garden Tells its Story”, invited creators to weave links between the garden and literary narrative. In 2025, the 7th edition celebrated cinema by offering gardens inspired by the seventh art, with activities throughout the day. For 2026, the 8th edition is announced under the theme of “Regenerative and Joyful Gardens”, exploring environmentally friendly gardening practices and the benefits of gardens for well-being.

An event rooted in the Alpine territory

The Festival des Jardins Alpestres benefits from the support of the French Landscape Federation, the Fondation du Bocage, and numerous local partners. It is part of an initiative to promote Alpine natural heritage and raise awareness of environmental issues. Educational workshops, guided tours, and conferences complement the program, making the festival a true hub for cultural and environmental mediation.

A competition open to professionals and students

The heart of the festival is its ephemeral garden creation competition. Each year, a jury composed of landscape professionals, elected officials, and qualified personalities selects the most inventive and relevant projects for the edition's theme. The selected teams have a few days to create their gardens on the esplanade before opening to the public. This participatory and creative format makes the Festival des Jardins Alpestres unique among garden festivals in France.